Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades rolled out the red carpet for Crystal Cruises on Saturday, November 9, 2024, as the cruise line reestablished the South Florida port as its winter home.
Broward County Commissioner Steven Geller and representatives from Port Everglades, Visit Lauderdale, and law enforcement agencies, including US Customs and Border Protection, were on hand for a ceremony to welcome back the newly reimagined 69,000-gross-ton luxury Crystal Serenity.
Captain Vincent Tallaird and his crew received a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
“Our port is home to one of the most diverse collections of cruise ships, and Crystal’s reimagined luxury ships fit in perfectly,” said Joseph Morris, Port Everglades’ CEO and port director. “We look forward to welcoming their guests.”
Following an extensive refurbishment that began in 2022, Crystal Serenity reemerged in July 2023 with a more expansive space for its guests. The ship reduced its guest capacity from 1,040 to 740 passengers to allow for an increased space-to-guest ratio of nearly 93 cubic feet per person – the most spacious for any cruise ship.
Its updates included expanded suites with artisanal finishes, refreshed public spaces, and a new pickleball court.
The vessel’s arrival in Fort Lauderdale coincided with the announcement of the port’s record-setting cruise passenger numbers in 2024. Port Everglades saw more than 4 million guests embarking and disembarking in 2024 – an increase of 3.3 percent over 2023.
After the welcoming ceremony, Crystal Serenity embarked on its first winter sailing, traveling to Puerto Rico, St. Barth’s, Antigua, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Grenadines, and Barbados as it introduced its winter series of voyages to the Caribbean.
The ship will continue to operate predominantly from Port Everglades through January 7, 2025, when it will then set off on a 123-night World Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona.
Cementing Its Role as a Top Cruise Destination
Port Everglades has established itself as a significant hub in the cruise industry and is the third busiest cruise homeport, following PortMiami and Port Canaveral.
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, the port set a new recording by accommodating 4,010,919 passengers, surpassing its previous peak of 3,880,033 guests in 2014.
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Beside accommodating Crystal Cruises, the port’s strategic expansions and introduction of new cruise lines included Disney Cruise Line and Azamara Cruises, the latter of which sailed from Fort Lauderdale for the first time when Azamara Onward embarked on its inaugural 155-night World Voyage at the start of 2024.
Disney established Port Everglades as a new homeport with a new cruise terminal in November 2023, marking the first time the cruise line’s ships sailed from this location.
In a 15-year agreement with the port, Disney will bring a minimum 10.6 million passengers to Fort Lauderdale. Disney Dream began offering cruises to the Caribbean in late 2023, followed by Disney Magic in 2024.
The new Disney Destiny will also operate from Port Everglades when it debuts in November 2025.
Meanwhile, Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess, the largest in its fleet, made its North American debut at Port Everglades in October 2024. After an inaugural season in the Mediterranean, the new 4,300-passenger ship is offering Caribbean itineraries from the port through March 22, 2025.
Enhancements to the port include the Port Everglades Navigation Improvements Project, which is deepening and widening the navigation channels to allow for larger vessels. The project is expected to be complete by March 2025.
Additionally, Port Everglades is adding shore power to eight cruise terminals to allow for vessels to use electricity while docked in an effort to reduce fuel consumption. The $160-million phased project will extend through 2027.
